This week's visitors to the South Pembs. were Llanishen and Caerphilly. South Pembs. were looking to consolidate their position at the top of division one of the South Wales Men's Hockey League by earning another home win.
Forced into fielding a re-shaped midfield due to the injury of regular centre-half Tim Lounds, Rob Woods joined Wheeler in the middle, with Steve Kendrick moving into the right-half position. Welcomed back into the team after a weekend of work commitments was sweeper Simon Moseley.
For the first 10 minutes, possession changed quite frequently, but neither side was able to create a goal-scoring opportunity. Llanishen opened the scoring with a goal coming from a counter-attacking move.
South Pembs. having never been a team to give up lightly, from the restart produced some fine hockey and cracks began to appear in the opposition's defence. It was such plays that led to an obvious infringement on 'Freddie' Fordham in the circle. The outcome was a penalty stroke that Jamie Smith competently put home.
A ball from deep in South Pembs.' own half led to the second goal. Smith turned creator, taking the defender out of the game with great stick skills and allowing Fordham to walk the ball into the goal.
The second-half provided far more entertainment and South Pembs. had a 20-minute purple patch. The midfield, Kendrick. Wheeler and Woods, along with the effective rolling substitutes, Huw Hanniford and Chris Rogers, worked tirelessly and created more and more openings as the game progressed.
A further three goals were scored, with Rogers and Kendrick adding their names to the score-sheet and Smith getting his second.
Llanishen and Caerphilly never gave up and tested the South Pembs. defence to the end. However, the back four of Sean Irving, Andy Stear, Nigel Thomas and Simon Moseley were resilient and 'keeper Dave Miller pulled off a number of good saves, including a penalty stroke, to deny the visitors any further goals.
The game came to an unsatisfactory conclusion when the pitch floodlighting was switched off by the Sports Centre some four minutes before the end. Fortunately, nobody was injured. South Pembs., through no fault of their own, now have to wait for a ruling from the league as to whether this 5-1 win stands as a result, with the game having to be abandoned.
Umpires: Jane Wheeler FIH and Brian Minney FIH.
Team: Dave Miller (GM), Sean Irving, Andrew Stear, Nigel Thomas, Simon Moseley, Huw Hanniford, Chris Rogers, Bernie Wheeler (capt.), Rob Woods, Steve Kendrick, Ian Fordham, Jamie Smith.
Match sponsors: Dickmans Newsagent (Pembroke and Narberth).